AHL notebook: Danielson, Mailloux among top Eastern Conference prospects

The 89th American Hockey League season is underway and, as usual, it features the NHL’s top prospects.

Last season, the AHL had 251 first- or second-round prospects playing, including several who have since graduated to the NHL such as Brandt Clarke (Los Angeles Kings), Simon Edvinsson (Detroit Red Wings), Dylan Guenther (Utah Hockey Club), David Jiricek (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Shane Wright (Seattle Kraken). In all, 87 percent of NHL players last season were AHL alumni, and 349 players spent time last season in both leagues.

Here is a look at some of the top prospects from the NHL Eastern Conference playing in the AHL to begin the season. A look at the Western Conference top prospects will follow in two weeks:

Nate Danielson, Grand Rapids (Red Wings)

Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman has made it clear that patient, deliberate development at the AHL level is important even to his organization’s top prospects, and this forward is no exception.

Danielson, who turned 20 on Sept. 27, was selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft by the Red Wings and has entered his first full pro season. Last season, he divided his time between Brandon and Portland of the Western Hockey League, where he had 67 points (24 goals, 43 assists) in 54 games. In the WHL playoffs, he tied for fourth with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 18 games. He then reported to Grand Rapids for the Calder Cup Playoffs and played two games.

Konsta Helenius, Rochester (Buffalo Sabres)

The 18-year-old forward is taking on the AHL after the Sabres chose him in the first round (No. 14) at the 2024 NHL Draft.

Buffalo has had success with sending top talent to Rochester even while they were still teenagers. Last season in Finland, Helenius had 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games for Jukurit Mikkeli (Liiga) at the age of 17. The likes of Jiri Kulich, Jack Quinn, and Isak Rosen all have had significant development time with Rochester in recent seasons.

Logan Mailloux, Laval (Montreal Canadiens)

The defenseman is back with Laval following a standout rookie season.

He took on a significant role last season with Laval and finished with 47 points (14 goals, 33 assists) while playing all 72 games. That won him a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team. Montreal selected him in the first round (No. 31) of the 2021 NHL Draft, and he stayed with the team deep into training camp last month.

Mailloux had two goals and two assists in Laval’s season opener at Providence on Oct. 11.

Denton Mateychuk, Cleveland (Blue Jackets)

The 20-year-old defenseman, chosen in the first round (No. 12) of the 2022 NHL Draft by Columbus, made the transition to the AHL look easy last June.

After spending the season with Moose Jaw of the WHL and reaching the Memorial Cup, Mateychuk immediately pivoted and went to Cleveland for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Hershey (Washington Capitals), where he stayed for the remainder of the seven-game series. In four games, he had three assists and took on challenging assignments.

Before going to Cleveland last season, he had 75 points (17 goals, 58 assists) in 52 games as captain with Moose Jaw. He then had 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 20 playoff games, second-most in the WHL. He was named the WHL’s top defenseman as well as its most valuable player of the playoffs. He also was named to the Canadian Hockey League First All-Star Team. In four Memorial Cup games, he had seven points (three goals, four assists).

The Blue Jackets opted to start Mateychuk in the AHL this season, and he has a goal and an assist through three games.

Ivan Miroshnichenko, Hershey (Washington Capitals)

The 20-year-old already has a Calder Cup ring.

The Capitals selected the forward in the first round (No. 20) of the 2022 draft, and he went to the AHL as a teenager last season. In 47 games for Hershey, he had 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists). He also played 21 games for the Capitals and had six points (two goals, four assists).

Miroshnichenko then took on a significant role last spring to help Hershey win its second consecutive Calder Cup championship. He had seven goals, tied for second among AHL rookies, in 20 playoff games. He also had five assists for 12 points to tie for third in playoff scoring among rookies.

He had a hat trick in Hershey’s second game of this season against Cleveland on Oct. 13.